


Glitter

by yeaka



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Kidnapping, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-12-23 18:11:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21085646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Noctis joins Ardyn’s collection.





	Glitter

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Final Fantasy XV or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

Noctis blinks away unconsciousness, fighting back the groggy darkness that tugs at him, not quite _sleep_. He’s felt this way before, some years ago, and all he can think is _not again._

He knows it’s just a game. He’ll make it back unharmed. But he’s still wary as he slowly pushes up on his shaking arms, one hand cradling his head—his skull is pounding. He peers through the empty blackness around him, knowing that the nearest walls are eons away. He can feel the cloying openness of the massive chamber. The air is old and stale, utterly silent. The texture underneath his knees is disconcerting. He’s sitting in a sea of coins. The jagged cuts of scattered diamonds and jewelry have left shallow scratches all along his legs. His pants have rolled up too high, and he wishes he’d worn taller boots. But then, he didn’t know that today was one of _those_ days. 

With a sharp intake of breath, Noctis pushes up to his feet. His balance is unsteady, difficult to hold when the ground is so amorphous—it shifts with every step, each clink of the coins echoing far into the distance. Noctis winces at every little sound. He needs to keep quiet. He takes one step forward.

Flames burst into life above him. He ducks on sheer instinct, though the fire’s far out of reach—he can barely even feel the billowing steam. Several sconces are lit in the process, casting long shadows across the battered keep. It looks like new ruins since last time, but it would’ve made sense that the dragon had to relocate—the glaives found and devastated that last hoard.

It seems the dragon’s done well for himself in the meantime. The pile of valuables is at least a story high—Noctis can see the large doors open in the distance, and the coins spill right through them, plugging the entrance up nearly to the top. He makes towards it, only to be stopped by a familiar voice. 

It purrs, deep and low, “Where are you going, little prince?”

Noctis isn’t so little anymore. He tenses, ready to summon his sword, just as soon as he locates where the dragon’s hiding. It should be too big to hide, but there are still so many shrouded corners. For all Noctis knows, the dragon is hiding underneath the treasure.

That thought prompts Noctis to mutter, “I’m not one of your treasures, Ardyn.” The dragon simply chuckles. The floor shakes with that rumbling, coins toppling over. Noctis yells, “You can’t keep me in your collection!”

“Oh, but I can,” Ardyn coos, only to sigh, “Or at least, I do have so very much fun trying...”

Noctis starts towards the door again. Out of nowhere, an enormous tail comes crashing down, scattering gold and gems in every direction. Noctis just barely reels back in time. The maroon scales slither into an effective barrier. Ardyn’s spiky head emerges on the other side of the chamber, his body twisted around a wall of broken pillars. His slit of a pupil is nearly as tall as Noctis. Noctis knows that anyone else would be _terrified_. Noctis felt fear the first time. Now he’s only annoyed. He searches his hazy mind for where he was last—a fishing trip, he thinks, with his shield and several Crownsguard. Noctis snaps, “Where’s Gladio? Did you hurt him?”

“Oh, my, no,” Ardyn answers, as though he’d never dare hurt a fly, even though his breath is hot enough to burn mortal flesh up in an instant. He keeps just out of range of Noctis, though colossal claws paw idly at the gold not far from him. “I’m sure your precious shield is fine, and all your dear friends are coming to rescue you as we speak.”

“I don’t need rescuing,” Noctis mumbles, but blushing, because he’s still embarrassed over having to be rescued the last several times. But he’s not some helpless damsel from a poorly written story. He’s had training for this. Without waiting for Ardyn’s response, he suddenly leaps up as high as he can, summoning his sword and tossing it out beyond the tail.

He warps to catch it, ducks into a roll for the landing, slides painfully down the lumpy makeshift floor and tries to throw again.

But a single flick of Ardyn’s pointed tail sends the sword flying out of his hands. Noctis tries to summon another, but Ardyn’s tail has already curled around him and dragged him back. He knows that if he weren’t of royal blood, those scales would melt the skin right off his bones.

Ardyn sits him back down and reaches out to gently pat his head. It’s still jarring enough to make Noctis tremble. He pouts up at his captor, insisting, “You won’t get away with this.”

“Perhaps not,” Ardyn concedes. “But I am sure your rescue will be thrilling, and your company is so lovely in the meantime.”

Noctis rolls his eyes. He sits tight for the moment, pretending that he’s accepted his fate. But inside, he’s plotting his brilliant escape: he’s definitely going to be his own hero this time.


End file.
